Devos 365

Romans 8:12-17 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. In my wanderings though the faith I came across this illustration about appropriating the freedom Jesus’ death and resurrection purchases for us. It would be great if I could remember who originated it, but I can’t. It’s still a great analogy. Jesus came into the wor...

Romans 8:9-11 9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. “ You, however, are not in the flesh… ” I love this phrase; if you are a believer then the Spirit is there inside of you. This is a statement of fact, not a supposition or a theory. The Holy Spirit didn’t come to you because you are a believer. You are a believer because the Holy Spirit came to you. Paul is assuming that He is there. In my mind’s eye there’s even a finger point and special emphasis to “ You, however… ” The presence of the Holy Spirit is indeed mysterious...

Romans 8:5-8 5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. It is amusing that I should have to write about “mindset” today for I have one of the most chaotic minds around. If someone were to follow me through a day they would wonder how I ever accomplished anything because I mentally flit from one thing to another all day long. Concentration is mystery to me. Since it is impossible for us to know how others think I have often wondered if this is how everyone operates and what I call “chaos” is just normal. Mindset is in fact a topic that comes up frequently in the ...

Romans 8:1-4 1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. 3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Today’s post comes with a challenge. It’s a simple challenge. Read the passage again; especially the first verse. Go ahead. Read it again. Now go back and read it again. One more time – read it again. In fact read verse one enough times so that you can recite it by heart. These are Words with power; the power to encourage you, change you, and instruct you. Let the fa...

Romans 7:7-25 7 What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. 9 I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. 10 The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. 11 For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. 12 So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good. 13 Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. 14 For we know that th...